2012 – 2013 SEASON

brighton beach memoirs by Neil Simon

CONTENTS Directed by Steven Woolf 2 The 411 3 A/S/L & HTH 4 FYI 6 F2F 7 RBTL 8 B4U 10 IRL 12 SWDYT?

MAJOR SPONSORS:

Ann & Hugh Scott WELCOME! At The Rep, we know The desire to learn, insatiable when awakened, can that life moves fast— sometimes lie dormant until touched by the right teacher or okay, really fast. But the right experience. We at The Rep are grateful to have the we also know that opportunity to play a role supporting you as you awaken the some things are desire for learning in your students. worth slowing down Neil Simon is considered one of America’s leading for. We believe that live theatre is one of those playwrights for a good reason. He has the ability to tell pit stops worth making and are excited that you are going a story of specific people in a specific time and yet, also to stop by for a show. To help you get the most bang for make it timeless and universal. This is definitely the case in your buck, we have put together WU? @ THE REP—an Brighton Beach Memoirs. Though Eugene’s story is set in the IM guide that will give you everything you need to know to 1930s, his journey through adolescence is one to which your get at the top of your theatergoing game—fast. You’ll find students can relate. This play will remind them (and us) that character descriptions (A/S/L), a plot summary (FYI), family may drive you crazy but they are still your family and biographical information (F2F), historical context (B4U), in the end, they are your anchor as you navigate life. and other bits and pieces (HTH). Most importantly, we’ll have some ideas about what this all means IRL, anyway. It would be a good idea to take a minute on the bus to give your students these quick theatre etiquette reminders: • This show has an intermission; there will be time for bathroom breaks before the show and partway through. • The actors can hear the audience and appreciate the laughter, gasps and quiet attention to action. However, talking, moving around and eating is very distracting to others and can dampen the energy of what is The Teacher’s happening on stage. Lounge • Pictures, phone calls and texting are not allowed at any time during the performance. In an effort to make our educational materials accessible Live theatre won’t allow your students to take a passive to students and easy for educators­ to role—they must work with us to create the experience which incorporate into the classroom, our study takes the learning deeper. Our unique ability to fuse words guide is written in a student-oriented format. We hope and images onstage allows your students to explore new that you will circulate this guide among your students in ideas as well as excites their imaginations. We will do our the weeks preceding your visit to The Rep, encouraging part so your students will be stirred to understandings and them to browse it before and after class and as time self-awareness while delving into new and familiar worlds. allows, using it as a launch point for both pre- and post- You are doing your part by using The Rep to extend your performance discussions.You may also want to visit our intellectual and aesthetic curriculum. Thank you! website, www.repstl.org, for additional information including educational games, activity suggestions and behind-the-scenes information. Any materials, either from this guide or from our website may be reproduced for Marsha Coplon use in the classroom.­ As always, we appreciate Director of Education your making live theatre a part of your classroom experience and welcome your feedback and questions.

Show Me Standards: CA 3, 5, 6; FA 2, 3, 4, 5; SS 2, 6 and Illinois Learning Standards: 1, 2, 5, 15, 16, 18, 25, 27. Eugene Jerome is a precocious 14-year- Blanche Morton is Kate’s younger, old with lots of imagination who dreams of widowed sister who moved in with the playing major league baseball and becoming Jeromes when she couldn’t financially a writer. support her own family alone Stanley Jerome is Eugene’s 18-year-old Laurie Morton is Blanche’s 13-year-old brother who passes on his wisdom to Eugene daughter who is treated delicately due to a and works to help support the family. heart condition. Kate Jerome is Eugene's mother who Nora Morton is Blanche’s beautiful plays the strong Jewish matriarch role of 16-year-old daughter who dreams of taking care of everyone because it’s her becoming a professional dancer. family duty.

Jack Jerome is Eugene's sensible father who works tirelessly to make sure his family and his sister-in-law’s family are provided for.

Memoirs: an account of one’s personal life Tuberculosis: an infectious disease that and experiences; an autobiography. usually affects the lungs and is lethal in many cases. Diptheria: an infectious upper respiratory tract illness that forms a false membrane in Boardwalk: a raised walkway made of the air passages, especially the throat. boards or planks, often built along a beach. Dapper: neat and elegant; usually refers to Saloon: a place for the sale and men. consumption of alcoholic drinks; a bar. Boarder: someone who pays to stay in a private room temporarily and is supplied with daily meals.

3 Spoiler alert!

The entire play takes place at the Soon after, an excited 16-year-old Nora Jerome family home in Brighton Beach, a rushes in and says she’s been offered the lower middle-class ocean-side neighborhood chance to audition for a dancing role in a in Brooklyn, New York, that is mostly Broadway show, but she needs a parent’s inhabited by Jewish, Irish and German permission first. Blanche, unsure of what to populations. Act I takes place around 6:30 in do, tells Nora to wait until her Uncle Jack is the evening in September 1937 during the home for them to discuss the matter. Nora is Great Depression; Act II takes place a week surprised and resentful her mother doesn’t later, again at 6:30 in the evening. take the assertive parental role. The first scene opens with 14-year- Later on, Eugene’s 18-year-old brother old Eugene Jerome throwing a ball against Stanley comes home and confesses to the house, playing an imaginary game of Eugene that he got in trouble with his boss baseball. Inside, his mother Kate is setting for sticking up for an African-American the table for dinner, while his aunt Blanche employee who was being unfairly punished who, along with daughters Laurie and Nora for a mistake someone else made. The boss is live with the Jeromes, is sewing. Because demanding a written apology from Stanley Eugene is giving his aunt a headache, Kate or else he is fired. Although Stanley knows tells him to stop, and he goes up to his his family can’t afford for him to get fired, room to journal. Here, he starts making he feels strongly that he shouldn’t apologize confessions to the audience. The first is based on principles. He tells Eugene he that he dreams of playing for the Yankees plans to talk to their dad about the ethical or becoming a writer. The second is that dilemma. he resents the fact he is always being told Jack then comes home where he confesses to run errands, while everyone coddles his to Kate that the party favors company where 13-year-old cousin Laurie because she has he works part-time is going out of business. a heart flutter. He explains to the audience Worried he won’t be able to put food on that Blanche, Laurie and Nora moved in with table, Kate reassures him that something is his family three-and-a-half years ago after bound to come up. During the dinner, the Blanche’s husband died of cancer, and she family hears on the radio that Hitler has couldn't support the family alone. moved into the Austria, and they discuss the Downstairs, Kate begs Blanche possibility of war. Jack knows it’s inevitable, to stop sewing as it’s worsening her poor and they worry about the safety of their eyesight, but Blanche is trying hard to make relatives in Europe, and whether or not enough money so that they don’t have to they’d be able to house them if they escape rely on Kate’s husband Jack to support all to America. of them. Kate insists that everything’s fine. Because of all the current stress, Although space and money are tight and Blanche is hesitant to bring up Nora’s the atmosphere is stressful, it’s obvious audition with Jack, so Nora brings it up there’s a great sense of family obligation and herself. Jack says he won’t give her a yes closeness in the household. or no, but suggests they go for a walk where he’ll offer advice. In the meantime, Eugene speaks to Stanley upstairs about his drunk and is currently in the hospital. Kate developing sexual urges and guilty lust for says it’s no surprise, which angers Blanche Nora. Stanley tells him it’s perfectly normal and starts a huge fight, in which Kate finally but to not act on his feelings for Nora for admits that she resents having to take care obvious reasons. They then proceed to talk of everyone all the time. Racked with guilt, about other topics as erotic dreams and Blanche says she plans to move out and will masturbation. Downstairs Blanche talks to send for the girls as soon as she finds a job. Kate about her guilt over not being able Upstairs, also racked with guilt, Stanley to be a strong parent to her daughters. tells Eugene he’s going to join the Army and Then she confesses to Kate that she has a send his check home every month to the date next week with their neighbor Frank family. After he leaves, Eugene recognizes Murphy. Kate disapproves because she’s the moment as the official end of his heard he’s an alcoholic womanizer, but childhood. Later on, Nora comes home and Blanche questions if she’s prejudiced against she and Blanche have a long talk, in which Mr. Murphy because he's Irish. Nora admits to not feeling as loved as the Nora and Jack come back, and Jack sickly Laurie. Blanche tells her she will work explains that he advised Nora to finish high to change that, but she refuses to apologize school because education is important, because she feels all she does is apologize but the decision is up to her and her and it only creates self-pity. Having gained a mother. Blanche tells Nora the answer is new understanding of her mother, Nora is no no. Nora becomes very angry and runs up longer angry with her. Afterwards, Blanche to her room. Later, Stanley confesses to his and Kate talk about how despite all the father about the situation at work. Jack is resentment, they still love and need each sympathetic to Stanley’s principles, but he other. Although Blanche still feels she needs explains how much the family would suffer a place of her own, she plans to continue if he lost his job. Because of this, Stanley staying at the Jerome home while she looks decides to apologize. for a job. A week later, the mood is somber and The next day everyone is in better tense because of Nora’s crankiness over spirits, and Stanley returns home because he Blanche’s decision and Jack’s minor heart realized his family needed him more than attack three days prior. To add to the stress, the Army. Stanley admits losing the money Stanley tells Eugene privately that he lost to Jack but promises to make it all back $17 gambling in an effort to make extra by working extra hours. Jack brings up the money. Amid all the stress, Blanche gets impending war, and how important family is ready for her date and is complimented by during the tough times. As the play closes, everyone on how beautiful she looks, but Jack receives a letter from his cousin and she is disappointed when she finds out learns that his family escaped Poland and Nora went out with her boyfriend without they are on the way to New York. Overjoyed, bothering to see her mother first. Later the entire family starts discussing how on, Kate asks for Stanley’s salary for the they’ll adjust sleeping arrangements so that week, and he is forced to admit he lost it. the relatives can stay with them. Although Overwhelmed, Kate tells Stanley to lie to money and space will be even tighter, Jack his father and say he was robbed. Blanche comments how the fact that they escaped receives a note from Mr. Murphy’s mother is all that’s important. How will the family that says he is unable to go on their date cope with this new development? because he caused a car accident while Brighton Beach Amidst all his Neil Simon, 1966. Memoirs is a Photo by Al Ravenna. professional success, celebrated play filled Library of Congress. Simon experienced with classic American a personal setback themes, so it should when his wife of 20 come as no surprise years died in 1973. He that it was penned then went on to marry by one of the most actress, St. Louis native famous, most successful and Nerinx/Webster American playwrights: University alum Marsha Neil Simon. Never heard Mason, with whom he of him? Well even if collaborated numerous you have no idea who times, including on the Mr. Simon is, there’s film The Goodbye Girl a good chance you’ve and the film version heard of at least one of of Simon’s critically his plays. praised play Chapter Two, which tells the Born in the Bronx story of a widowed in 1927 as Marvin writer finding love Neil Simon, the playwright grew up in again, based on Simon’s and Mason’s actual Manhattan. One of his first major gigs was in life together. the 1950s on the writing staff of Your Show of Shows, a famous live television comedy series Another strong example of his that also had other comedians working on autobiographical work is his “Eugene trilogy” it at the time, including Mel Brooks, Woody consisting of the plays Brighton Beach Allen and Carl Reiner. In the 1960s, Simon Memoirs, Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound, turned his attention to Broadway where he which debuted between 1983 and 1986. The penned his first hits Come Blow Your Horn and trilogy featured the coming-of-age story Barefoot in the Park. In 1966, Simon wrote of Eugene Jerome and his journey from what is one of his most well-known hits, The adolescence to becoming an aspiring comedy Odd Couple, which was inspired by his brother writer. The plays take place during the Great Danny’s situation when, after his divorce, he Depression/World War II era, the setting moved in with another divorced man. mainly being a working-class New York A major hit for Simon, the play was adapted neighborhood, the time period and place in for the big screen in 1968 when Jack which Simon grew up. Lemmon and Walter Matthau starred in the Over his 50-year career, Simon has very successful film version that also spurred received widespread critical recognition a popular television series. During this time, that includes 17 Tony award nominations Simon went on to pen numerous classics for and three wins, four Oscar nominations stage and screen, including Sweet Charity, for screenplays, the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for The Out-of-Towners and The Star-Spangled Girl. Drama for his play Lost in Yonkers, and the 2006 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Confessions It seems the characters in this play are each ashamed of something that they must eventually confess. Eugene confesses his sexual urges to Stanley. Stanley confesses his almost getting fired and gambling to Eugene, Familial obligation his father and mother. Blanche confesses to Kate her date with a man she knows Kate Supporting family is of the utmost would disapprove of. Kate confesses her importance in this story. Although it puts resentment of her always being the one who a great deal of stress on Jack and Kate, gets to be taken care of. Have you ever held they take in Kate’s sister and her daughters something in because you were ashamed? without question and work hard to support Why were you afraid to tell someone? When them. At the end of the play, although the you finally confessed it, how did you feel? family is struggling, they are eager to take in Was the person more or less upset than you relatives who narrowly escaped Hitler’s terror thought? in Europe. When is a time a family member has been there for you without asking for Coming of age anything in return? Have you ever made a sacrifice in order to help a family member? As the main character Eugene is emotionally and physically growing up; he’s confused by Dreams and imagination his feelings and doesn’t know what to do with them. Ruled by his hormones, his lust Although this story deals a lot with the after his cousin Nora and his erotic dreams harsh reality of the Great Depression and make him feel guilty. His loneliness after threat of World War II, the playwright his brother Stanley leaves makes him feel made it a priority to include his characters’ vulnerable and fearful because even in the hopes and dreams. Eugene freely dreams of trying times, his family stability has been becoming a major league baseball player or a source of comfort. When was a time you a professional writer; we even get the sense realized you were growing up and things it will be possible when we find out he gets were changing? How did it make you feel? good grades and is naturally smart. Nora gets the opportunity to audition for a Broadway The limitations of play. Why do you think the playwright decided to include these storylines? Even in poor health the toughest circumstances, are dreams still Blanche has very poor eyesight, which important and even possible? What dreams prevents her from sewing as much as she’d do you have? What personality traits do you like to make more money. Laurie has a heart have that would help you to achieve dreams? condition, which prevents her from being What obstacles might you have to overcome? physically active. Jack has a minor heart attack that prevents him from working. The physical disabilities have serious effects as Blanche and Jack fear not being able to support their families, and Laurie doesn’t get to fully participate in life or make friends easily. Are you physically limited in any way? How does it hold you back? What have you learned from it that has made you stronger in other ways? Eugene's america Taking place in 1937, the play is definitely dealing with the hardships of the time. Here’s some more information on the tensions the Jerome family is dealing with. The Great Depression U.S. Immigration Policies Due to the stock market crash in 1929, the Jack is relieved when he hears his relatives economy was still reeling during this time. have made it out of Poland safely. This Banks failing and businesses closing caused ends the play on a serious yet positive note more than 15 million Americans (one quarter and gives the play a great sense of hope. of the workforce) to become unemployed. However, the U.S. was greatly opposed to Money was tight everywhere, and families immigration during the Great Depression due struggled to send children to school and put to the economic state and unemployment food on the table. rate. About 100,000 German Jews arrived in the U.S. in the 1930s and escaped Hitler’s

Beginnings of World War II reign of terror. However, the U.S. did not implement an organized rescue policy for To make matters worse, European tensions Jewish victims of Nazi Germany until 1944 were rising and were felt all around the when, under pressure from some government world. Although World War II didn’t officially officials and the American Jewish begin until 1939 when Germany invaded Community, President Roosevelt established Poland, Adolf Hitler had been rising in the War Refugee Board (WRB) to help rescue power for quite some time. By 1936, he had refugees. Along with the American Jewish already violated the Treaty of Versailles by Joint Distribution Committee, the World reoccupying a demilitarized zone in the Jewish Congress, as well as many resistance Rhineland, as well as developed a "Four Year groups in Europe, the WRB helped to rescue Plan" that outlined policies and steps to take as many as 200,000 Jews from Nazi-occupied for Germany to become a completely self- countries. It received its due praise for this sufficient country and to be ready for war life-saving accomplishment though many within the next four years. In 1937, Germany were and still are upset when considering declared an alliance with Italy, and signed how many more lives could have been saved the Anti-Comintern (Anti-Communist) Pact had the WRB been established sooner. with Japan, beginning the formation of the Axis Powers. In 1938, Hitler became supreme commander of the German armed forces.

TIMELINE 1919 The Treaty of Versailles was signed disarming 1918 Germany, who was also forced to pay The end of World War I in 1918 resulted reparations to France and Britain for the in a defeated Germany with a depressed huge costs of the war. economy and an injured national pride. The newly established government, the Weimar Adolf Hitler joined the right-wing German Republic, tried to establish a democratic Workers' Party and rose among the ranks course, but extreme political parties from due to his captivating speeches, which both the right and the left struggled encouraged national pride, militarism, anti- violently for control. Semitism and a commitment to a racially "pure" Germany. Hitler changed the party’s civil service, in legal and medical professions name to the National Socialist German and in teaching and university positions. Workers' Party, or the Nazi Party, for short. President Roosevelt began his first 100 days 1925 in office and instituted the New Deal, a While in prison for committing high collection of programs designed to produce treason with the failed Beer Hall Putsch Relief (providing jobs to the unemployed) governmental overthrow in Munich, Hitler Recovery (growing the economy) and wrote and published volume one of Mein Reform (regulating Wall Street, banks and Kampf (My Struggle). The book outlined transportation). radical ideas of German nationalism, anti- The U.S. government establishds a relief Semitism and anti-Bolshevism. and employment program called the Civilian 1929 Conservation Corps (CCC). Designed for young The U.S. stock market crashed causing stock men 17-27 years old, the CCC found men prices to plummet and banks to call in loans. work in national forests, parks and federal An estimated $30 billion in stock values land for nine-month stints. would "disappear" by mid-November. 1934 In Germany, the Nazi Party grew to 108,000 After President Hindenburg died, Hitler members from 27,000 in 1925. combined the offices of Reich Chancellor and President, declaring himself Führer. 1930 More than 3.2 million people were 1935 unemployed in the U.S., more than double The Works Progress Administration was the number before the October 1929 crash. created in the U.S. and employed more than 8.5 million individuals in 3,000 counties 1931 across the nation. Earning only $41.57/ "Food riots" began to break out in parts of month, workers improved or created the U.S., where men and women smashed highways, roads, bridges, and airports. windows of grocery markets and stole food. Additionally, the WPA put thousands of Resentment of foreign workers increased artists, including writers, painters, theater during the unemployment crisis as many U.S. directors and sculptors. to work on various citizens accused immigrants of stealing jobs. projects. 1932 President Roosevelt signed the Social More than 750,000 New Yorkers were Security Act of 1935 into law, which was reported to be dependent upon city relief financed through a payroll tax. each receiving $8.20/month; an additional Hitler announced the Nuremberg Laws, which 160,000 were on the waiting list. striped Jews of their civil rights as German 1933 citizens and defined them as a race separate German president Paul von Hindenburg from Germans legally, socially and politically. appointed Hitler as Reich Chancellor. 1937 The Dachau concentration camp was created. The slow economic recovery created by The Nazi regime created Special Courts to New Deal programs suffered a setback as punish political dissent and pass civil laws unemployment rose. that ban Jews from holding positions in the Then and now Having grown up during the Great Depression in New York City, Neil Simon could draw from his personal experience to create his characters, and likely inserted much of himself into the characters of Stanley, Nora, Laurie and especially Eugene. Even though you didn’t grow up in the 1930s, it’s likely you have more in common with the teenagers of that time than you might think due to the current recession. Here’s some more insight on what teenagers went through during the Great Depression, how it was illustrated in Brighton Beach Memoirs, and how you might be able to relate.

Common Ground Play plotline: Jack loses one of his jobs making him scared he’ll be unable to put enough food on the table. Stanley, due to a mixture of guilt over his gambling and a desire to become more independent, leaves home to join the Army. At the height of the Great Depression in the mid-1930s, about 14 million American workers were unemployed causing many teenagers to work and contribute to family income or even to leave home early so that parents had fewer mouths to feed. Many teenagers followed the harvest seasons and found short-term jobs as farmers. Some found meals and temporary lodging at mission churches or the Salvation Army. Some of the luckier young people got temporary jobs with the Civilian Conservation Corps, which gave them food and a place to live for six months or more. However, young drifters earned only a fraction of adult wages. George Rhodes, who was interviewed for PBS’ documentary Riding the Rails, said he once worked all day unloading a coal car and his employer paid him with two tomatoes. More than 250,000 teenagers were living on the road, many hopping freight trains for temporary shelter and to travel to new areas where they could find jobs. Life was tough and dangerous, as migrants faced daily threats of arrest, theft, hunger or even losing a limb when hopping trains. Even without the physical dangers, the loneliness of the lifestyle was enough to cause depression. James San Jule, another Riding the Rails interviewee who was 17 when he left home, lived in a subway kiosk for four months while he stole food from the market. During one of his interviews in the documentary, he recalls receiving a birthday cake mailed to him from his mother and eating it alone on a hillside while crying.

] How has the recession affected your family? ] Is your family feeling the stress of strained finances? How so? ] Has one of your parents lost a jobs or had to pick up a second job? Have you had to start working to pay for things your parents can no longer pay for, such as new clothes or gas money?

10 A "Hard-to-Get" Day’s Work Play plotline: Stanley almost loses his job over an ethical dilemma. This is especially stressful because jobs are scarce, and he won’t be able to easily get another one. Even if teenagers today have not been forced to leave home, they face struggles of the current recession, one of them being unemployment. According to recent studies, the teen jobless rate is two to three times worse than the national average, and 25% of American teenagers were out of work in July 2011, compared to 15.5% in 2006. The reason teens are taking such a hit is because there are plenty of more experienced work-seeking adults for employers to hire. These facts are disappointing not only for teenagers who could use extra money but also because part- time work can teach valuable skills and help prepare for the responsibilities of a full-time job.

] Are you working right now? Have you tried to get a job but are having a hard time finding a place that’s hiring? ] If you do have a part-time job right now, what skills are you learning that you think will be helpful in your future career?

Life Lessons Play plotline: Although Stanley is forced to swallow his pride, he apologizes to his boss for being disrespectful because he knows how much his family needs his salary. Nora hopes to be a Broadway dancer not only because it would fulfill her dream but also because she thinks her income can help support her family. Jack proves a strong parental figure when he teaches both Stanley and Nora about the importance of responsibility and education. Through the harsh realities of the current recession, many teenagers are finding a silver lining by learning valuable lessons. In fact, a recent Charles Schwab survey showed that the majority of teenagers have had major perspective shifts, such as making them much more appreciative of what they have and being less likely to ask for material things from their parents. On another positive note, the survey shows that parents are more likely to talk about financial responsibility with their teens; three out of four teens said their parents have had this discussion with them. In fact, as a result of the recession, 73% of the teens surveyed say they’ve learned it’s important to have enough emergency savings in case times get tough, and 51% learned it’s important to understand the consequences of borrowing money.

] Has hearing about how hard some families have been hit by the recession made you more grateful for what you have? What do you appreciate more now than you did five years ago? ] Have you had a conversation with your parents about financial responsibility? How do you make sure you’re smart with your money? BLANCHE: How can you go to will affect Nora the rest of her life? Philadelphia? What about school? Why do you think Blanche views self- pity as being worse than loneliness or NORA: School? Momma this is a helplessness? When’s a time you knew Broadway show. This is what I want to you were feeling sorry for yourself and do with my life. Algebra and English placing blame on others? How did it aren’t going to help me on the stage. affect you? BLANCHE: You mean not finish school? Not get a diploma? Do you know how hard it is today for a girl to get a good JACK: On the other hand, you did a job without a high school diploma? courageous thing. You defended a fellow worker. Nobody else stood up for him, ] Do you sympathize more with Blanche or did they? Nora in this argument? It’s important to follow your dreams, but isn’t it important STANLEY: I was the only one. to get an education as well? Do you JACK: That’s something to be proud think Nora is being naïve? Or do you of. It was what you believed in. That’s think Blanche is being too conservative? standing up for your principles. If you were in Blanche’s place, what would you tell Nora? STANLEY: That’s why I didn’t want to write the letter. I knew you’d understand. BLANCHE: I am not going to be a JACK: The question is. Can this family doormat for all the frustrations and afford principles right now? unhappiness that you or Aunt Kate or anyone else wants to lay at my feet...I ] Stanley struggles with a major ethical did not create this universe. I do not dilemma of either standing up for his decide who lives or dies, or who’s rich principles or keeping a job to help put or poor or who feels loved and who food on the table. This causes him a lot feels deprived. If you feel cheated that of stress. Have you ever felt pressure Laurie gets more than you, then I feel like this? Do you think Stanley could cheated that I had a husband who have handled the situation better? What died at 36. And if you keep on feeling could he have done? When’s a time that that way, you’ll end up like me—with you had to stand up to authority? What something much worse than loneliness resulted from it? Was it worth it? or helplessness and that’s self-pity. ] Blanche unapologetically tells all this to her daughter Nora who feels like she never received as much attention as her sickly sister Laurie. Do you think Blanche was being insensitive to Nora’s needs or was she doing Nora a favor by teaching her a valuable lesson? Why was this monologue a turning point for Blanche? How do you think this lesson